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OOP  - 

To  the  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

Gentlemen :  Your  committee  on  education  respectfully  sub¬ 
mits  the  following  report  upon  the  present  status  of  industrial  ed¬ 
ucation  in  the  Cleveland  public  school  system  and  elsewhere,  to¬ 
gether  with  certain  recommendations  for  further  progress  in 
Cleveland. 

The  term  “industrial  education”  has,  we  found,  a  rather  con¬ 
fusing  variety  of  significance.  For  our  purpose,  we  assume  edu¬ 
cation  to  be  divided  into  two  main  classes — academic  or  general 
education,  and  vocational  education.  Vocational  education  we 
understand  to  mean  all  preparation  for  productive  labor.  We  have 
confined  ourselves  to  the  consideration  of  that  vocational  educa¬ 
tion  which  prepares  for  wage  earning  in  the  shop  or  factory. 
This  we  have  considered  under  two  heads  : 

(1)  “Pre-vocational  education”  in  mechanics,  general  man¬ 
ual  training,  etc.,  which  prepares  the  pupil  for  later  training  in 
his  chosen  occupation; 

(2)  Actual  training  of  prospective  wage  earners  in  shop 
or  factory  practice,  conducted  for  the  most  part  in  distinct  “trade 
schools.” 

Both  of  these  are  included  in  the  term  “industrial  education.” 
In  this  report  we  shall  distinguish  the  two  divisions  of  industrial 
education  by  the  terms  “pre-vocational  education”  and  “trade 
training.” 

In  most  of  our  American  public  school  systems,  industrial  edu¬ 
cation  has  progressed  no  further  than  the  pre-vocational  courses 
conceded  to  be  useful  in  any  industrial  vocation. 

Your  committee  finds,  after  corresponding  with  the  educa¬ 
tional  authorities  in  the  other  ten  largest  cities  of  the  United 
States,  that  Cleveland  is  providing  as  much  pre-vocational  edu¬ 
cation  as  any  of  these  cities.  Further,  we  find  that  among  persons 
who  have  been  making  a  study  of  this  subject  and  are  best  in¬ 
formed,  Cleveland  is  recognized  as  being  in  the  front  rank  of 
American  municipalities  in  this  regard.  In  the  elementary  grades 
of  our  public  schools  drafting  and  simple  tool  work  is  taught  to 
the  boys  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  grades  in  the  school  room,  while 
more  advanced  work  is  taught  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  by 
special  teachers  in  school  centers.  Domestic  science  for  girls 
begins  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  grades ;  simple  and  useful  things  are 
made,  and  sewing  is  taught  by  special  teachers.  Drawing  and  ap¬ 
plied  art,  including  free  hand  drawing,  designing  and  instruction 
in  the  making  of  simple  articles,  is  taught  in  the  kindergarten,  ele¬ 
mentary  schools,  industrial  schools  and  high  schools  as  a  unit 
from  the  kindergarten  through  high  school.  The  technical  high 
schools  are  chiefly  designed  to  prepare  pupils  for  supervisory  or 

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minor  executive  positions  in  industry ;  they  offer  advanced  courses 
in  drafting  and  pattern-making,  as  well  as  classes  in  forging, 
foundry  and  machine  shop  practice,  etc.,  and  opportunity  to  spe¬ 
cialize  in  chemistry,  electrical  construction,  auto  repairing,  print¬ 
ing,  agriculture,  designing,  cartooning,  etc. 

On  the  other  hand,  Cleveland  has  not  established  any  separate 
trade  schools  to  train  prospective  wage  earners  in  actual  shop  or 
factory  practice,  with  the  aim  of  fitting  graduates  for  immediate 
employment  as  skilled  workmen.  In  Germany  notably,  many 
such  schools  have  been  established;  and  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
Boston,  Pittsburgh  and  Detroit,  among  the  larger  American  cities, 
have  established  a  few  trade  schools.  Usually,  in  the  best  of  such 
schools,  courses  are  arranged  under  actual  shop  conditions  and 
the  pupils  are  engaged  in  making  saleable  products. 

Scarcely  more  than  one  hundred  years  ago  the  idea  that  a 
legal  or  medical  education  should  be  obtained  in  a  school  or  col¬ 
lege  would  have  been  deemed  ridiculous.  Today  such  an  educa¬ 
tion  is  practically  required  before  the  State  will  allow  anyone  to 
practice  law  or  medicine.  Schools  of  agriculture  are  flourishing ; 
schools  of  journalism  have  proved  a  success;  and  schools  of  busi¬ 
ness  administration  are  being  founded.  There  is  evidently  a  de¬ 
cided  tendency  toward  the  ultimate  establishment  of  public  schools 
providing  apprenticeships  for  practically  all  vocations. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  out  of  the  millions  of  children  who 
enter  the  elementary  grades  of  our  schools  at  the  age  of  six,  less 
than  one  out  of  every  four  ever  receives  the  benefit  of  high  school 
training,  we  have  been  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  making 
better  provision  for  the  pupils  who  will  enter  our  industries  as 
wage  earners,  by  providing  courses  that  will  interest  and  hold 
these  boys  and  girls  until  they  receive  enough  educational  equip¬ 
ment  to  make  them  productive  and  self-reliant.  Certainly  the 
fundamental  educational  duty  of  the  community  to  the  child  is  to 
fit  him  to  become  an  independent,  useful  citizen ;  and  to  that  end 
he  must  first  be  able  to  earn  his  living. 

Brownell  School  has  been  converted  into  an  elementary  in¬ 
dustrial  school,  with  quite  complete  equipment.  It  completed  its 
fourth  successful  year  in  May,  1913.  It  is  not  a  trade  school, 
but  is  used  for  the  education  of  certain  children  of  a  class  which 
has  come  to  be  known  in  educational  circles  as  “hand-minded”  or 
“motor-minded”  children,  who  acquire  mental  education  best 
through  the  use  of  their  hands.  It  is  very  evident  that  if  the  in¬ 
terest  of  children  with  this  kind  of  mind  is  to  be  maintained,  they 
must  be  allowed  to  engage  in  such  school  occupations  as  pattern¬ 
making,  wood-working,  etc.,  which  have  a  far  greater  attraction 
to  them  than  lessons  in  the  purely  academic  courses.  And  if  this 
interest  is  maintained  and  nurtured,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  child  will  be  stimulated  to  pursue  higher  courses  of  study. 

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An  extension  of  industrial  education  would  undoubtedly  benefit 
this  class  of  children,  which  is  acknowledged  to  include  no  incon¬ 
siderable  proportion  of  all  our  pupils. 

The  belief  is  held  by  some  of  our  leading  educators  that  our 
public  schools  should  ultimately  afford  to  prospective  wage  earn¬ 
ers  an  opportunity  to  gain  practical  experience  as  well  as  theoret¬ 
ical  knowledge  of  their  trades. 

We  have  conferred  with  some  of  our  prominent  manufactur¬ 
ers  as  well  as  educators,  on  this  question.  Some  of  them  have  the 
opinion  that  if  a  child  is  taught  the  right  principles  of  character 
and  if  he  learns  to  use  his  mind  in  school,  he  is  better  fitted  to  en¬ 
ter  the  shop  or  factory  where  he  may  learn  a  trade  than  if  the 
attempt  had  been  made  to  teach  him  the  trade  in  the  school  room. 
It  is  also  suggested  that  in  America  trades  are  not  passed  from 
father  to  son,  as  in  Germany,  and  that  therefore  it  is  inexpedi¬ 
ent  to  teach  a  child  a  trade  which  he  may  not  follow;  that  with 
the  modern  development  of  machines,  the  skilled  mechanic  is  be¬ 
coming  less  and  less  required;  and  that  in  an  industrial  center 
which  has  so  many  diversified  industries  as  Cleveland  it  would 
be  practically  impossible  to  establish  enough  schools  to  teach  all 
trades.  On  the  other  hand,  some  educators  and  manufacturers 
who  have  given  the  subject  much  thought,  believe  that  trade  train¬ 
ing  is  most  desirable,  and  must  be  given  by  the  public  sooner  or 
later. 

Of  course  financial  difficulties  confront  every  proposal  for 
any  extension  of  our  educational  system;  and  for  that  reason  if 
for  no  other,  the  establishment  of  separate  schools  in  Cleveland 
for  the  purpose  of  teaching  particular  trades  seems  certainly  not 
practicable  in  the  near  future.  Your  sub-committee  believes, 
however,  that  the  progress  of  other  states  and  cities  along  this 
line  should  be  carefully  noted,  and  the  means  used  to  promote  the 
capacity  of  their  school  children  as  future  wage  earners,  not  only 
in  the  interest  of  the  children,  but  also  for  aiding  in  the  success¬ 
ful  operation  of  their  industries,  should  receive  thoughtful  con¬ 
sideration  by  The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

The  State  of  New  Jersey  has  made  provision  for  the  estab¬ 
lishment  of  vocational  schools  by  appropriating  a  fund  equal  to 
that  which  is  raised  by  the  local  district  for  tools,  machinery,  ap¬ 
pliances  and  operation,  provided  the  amount  for  any  school  does 
not  exceed  $10,000. 

Wisconsin,  noted  for  its  progress  in  educational  matters,  has 
provided  for  state  and  local  boards  of  industrial  education,  con¬ 
sisting  of  three  employers,  three  employes,  and  three  practical  and 
eminent  educators ;  two-thirds  of  their  number  thus  consisting  of 
men  actually  and  practically  engaged  in  industry;  and  the  com¬ 
munity  sees  to  it  that  the  schools  adapt  themselves  to  the  inter¬ 
ests  of  those  engaged  in  the  particular  industries  of  each  dis- 


5 


trict.  In  the  words  of  the  law,  the  schools  are  established  “to  in¬ 
struct  young  persons  in  industrial  arts  and  occupations — and  to 
give  such  instruction  as  will  lead  to  a  fair  knowledge  of  the 
liberal  arts,  a  just  and  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  nobility  and 
dignity  of  labor,  and  in  general  to  promote  diligence,  economy, 
efficiency,  honor  and  good"  citizenship.”  In  support  of  this  law, 
the  state  appropriates  toward  the  maintenance  of  schools  through¬ 
out  the  state  a  sum  equal  in  each  case  to  one-half  the  amount  ex¬ 
pended  in  any  school,  up  to  $3,000,  and  not  to  exceed  $10,000  for 
any  one  community — this  appropriation  made  with  the  under¬ 
standing  that  the  school  has  been  maintained  in  a  satisfactory 
manner  for  not  less  than  eight  months.  V 

In  1913  Indiana  passed  a  law  reimbursing  the  local  com¬ 
munities  which  had  applied  a  plan  for  carrying  on  and  increas¬ 
ing  vocational  education,  by  the  payment  of  an  amount  equal  to 
two-thirds  of  the  salary  of  each  teacher  giving  instruction  in  vo¬ 
cational  subjects. 

New  York  in  1910  passed  an  act  establishing  a  system  of 
state-conducted  vocational  schools  under  the  administration  of 
state  and  local  boards  of  education  throughout  the  state. 

Ohio  has  not  yet  actively  exerted  itself  in  this  branch  of  ed¬ 
ucation. 

Your  committee  believes  the  most  feasible  plan  for  immedi¬ 
ate  progress  in  industrial  education  in  Cleveland  is  to  add,  from 
time  to  time,  to  the  present  pre-vocational  courses  in  the  element¬ 
ary  grades.  The  principals  of  both  our  Technical  High  Schools 
say  there  is  no  reason  why  many  of  the  courses  in  mechanical 
drawing,  wood-working,  etc.,  which  are  now  taught  in  the  first 
two  years  in  the  Technical  High  Schools,  should  not  be  taught 
in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  of  the  elementary  schools ;  some 
of  the  pre-vocational  courses  now  taught  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  grades  could  then  be  taught  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  grades. 

This  would  furnish  some  of  those  who  quit  school  before  or  at 
the  completion  of  the  elementary  grades  a  better  knowledge  of 
shop  and  factory  work,  and  also  make  it  possible  to  extend  the 
work  in  some  of  the  higher  courses  in  the  Technical  High  Schools. 

At  present  there  is  equipment  in  only  a  few  Cleveland  pub¬ 
lic  school  buildings  for  even  the  rudimentary  manual  training  fur¬ 
nished  in  the  elementary  grades,  and  the  pupils  of  most  schools 
must  go  from  their  own  schools  to  these  few  for  classes  in  these 
courses.  It  would  seem  wise  to  provide  each  school  building  with  t 

a  manual  training  shop  in  order  that  lessons  in  this  subject  may  be 
given  without  requiring  children  to  make  trips  to  distant  build¬ 
ings.  j 

Even  these  small  steps  in  advance,  however,  will  require  a 
considerable  expenditure  for  construction,  equipment  and  opera¬ 
tion.  The  Board  of  Education  is  not  now  able  even  to  house 


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properly  the  children  already  attending  the  schools ;  and  our  pro¬ 
posal,  we  believe,  would  largely  increase  the  attendance. 

In  view  of  all  these  facts,  and  in  view  of  the  further  fact 
that  our  information  as  to  the  administration  of  the  schools,  both 
educational  and  financial,  is  not  sufficient  to  enable  us  to  make 
definite  and  specific  recommendations  for  immediate  extension  of 
industrial  education,  your  committee  confines  itself  to  the  fol¬ 
lowing  recommendations : 

(1)  That  instruction  in  pre-vocational  courses,  as  now  of¬ 
fered  in  the  higher  grades  of  the  elementary  schools  and  the  first 
two  years  of  the  Technical  High  School  courses,  should  be  intro¬ 
duced  in  lower  grades  of  the  public  schools  from  time  to  time  as 
the  means  can  be  made  available;  provided,  however,  that  the 
present  degree  of  efficiency  of  instruction  in  fundamental  and 
essential  courses  now  taught  in  these  grades,  be  not  thereby  im¬ 
paired. 

(2)  That  The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce  continue 
on  the  alert  for  information  as  to  the  progress  of  other  states  and 
cities  in  the  establishment  and  conduct  of  trade  schools  for  actual 
shop  and  factory  practice,  so  that  the  experience  of  pioneers  in 
this  field  may  be  made  promptly  available  in  the  consideration, 
from  time  to  time,  of  the  advisability  of  similar  schools  for  Cleve¬ 
land. 

(3)  We  further  recommend  to  your  board  that  in  the  near 
future  you  refer  to  such  committee  as  may  be  deemed  best  qual¬ 
ified,  the  task  of  studying  the  present  methods  of  school  admin¬ 
istration  and  finance,  with  a  view  to  recommending  ways  and 
means  by  which  the  rapidly  developing  needs  of  our  public  school 
system  may  be  adequately  met. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Walter  T.  Dunmore 
W.  F.  Gibbons 
Robert  R.  Abbott 
Andre  T.  Chisholm 
C.  W.  Courtney 
W.  E.  Crofut 
Arthur  C.  Eastwood 
E.  M.  France 
Philip  Frankel 
Charles  Goulder 
Geo.  B.  Harris 
Herbert  H.  Henry 
Crispin  Oglebay 
Avery  A.  Shaw 
Emmet  J.  Strong 
Committee  on  Education 


